Form and Reform – Jon Sarriugarte’s Magical Studio

Jon Sarriugarte and his studio Form and Reform are no strangers to the world of metalwork art. Jon Sarriugarte’s Form and Reform works keep popping up at art and furniture galleries, on twitter, online retail sites . . . you know, the usual places you’d expect to find them.

But Jon Sarriugarte and Form and Reform have also shown up in the most unexpected places, like the Discovery Channel and the History Channel. Now you’ve got to admit it takes something a little out of the ordinary, maybe a little magical to do that, and that’s exactly what you get from Jon Sarriugarte’s Form and Reform.

But what do you expect from a guy who moved from the Midwest to California to start an art studio? Yes. He really did. Back in 1987 Jon Sarriugarte took what became an irreversible road trip west, and never went back. He built his studio Form and Reform and John Sarriugarte began producing and sharing his skills in blacksmithing, metal fabrication, sculpture and what he calls fire art. 

But what does he really make? Anything. Everything. Consider this: he and designer Julie Henry have a line of Pan furniture that’s unique, handcrafted (of course!) and will last a lifetime.  But – wait: Pan?  Yes, you know, the Greek god Pan, the mythological and mischievous god, with the head and torso of a man, and the legs, horns and ears of a goat. The legs of Form and Reform’s furniture line are hand forged from steel, with a hand hammered texture.  Once you see them you won’t be able to think of anything but Pan and his goat legs!

What kind of imagination comes up with something like that?  The same kind that creates the Bean Pole Clock, a Cattail Candle Holder, the Bungalow Grandfather Clock, a Pan CD rack . . . . Jon Sarriugarte has a knack for creating the unusual inside Form and Reform’s walls. But that’s just his professional work available for sale.

You know what he does in his spare time?  You guessed it: that’s the stuff that’s landed him on the Discovery and History channels.  Just imagine what kind of entries he’s had for the Power Tool Drag Racing contest, or what a mind like his can do with vortex generators and you’ll have some idea what Jon Sarriugarte does when out of the “office.”

And in his “other” spare time he works with a local arts council and even helps with events to raise money for others in need.  But that’s just a smattering of his involvement in his community. 

In spite of all this, Jon Sarriugarte, wife Kyrsten Mate and daughter Zolie are down to earth. In fact if you visit Jon Sarriugarte’s site you can see pics of his friends and family and even find instructions on how to make real butter!

That’s because Jon Sarriugarte is one of the magical – uh, I mean one of the good guys.